Face plate and dead front switches



J 1957 T. M. COLE ET AL FACE PLATE AND DEAD FRONT SWITCHES 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 14, 1955 INVENTORS filo/v45 .M- Caz:

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M. CV/R/ s TEN 5 EN ATTORNEY Jan. 1, 1957 'r. M. COLE ETAL 2,776,355

FACE PLATE AND DEAD FRONT SWITCHES Filed April 14, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTQRS Tflanms M- 601.5

P404 M- 01915 rewsaw ATTORNEY United States Patent FACE PLATE AND DEADFRONT SWITCHES Thomas M. Cole, Harrison, N. Y., and Paul M. Christensen,West Orange, N. 1., assignors to Federal Pacific Electric Company, acorporation of Delaware Application April 14, 1955, Serial No. 501,383

18 Claims. (Cl. 200-168) The present invention relates to enclosedswitchgear.

Such apparatus commonly includes an enclosure with a front panel, and aswitch mechanism that is contained within the enclosure but which has anoperating handle projecting in front of the panel. The switchgear alsohas a signal, indicating whether it is on or ofi" and this signal isdisplayed through a suitable window.

Because of inevitable manufacturing tolerances, it is impractical todepend on locating the switchgear in the enclosure as precisely as theprojecting portion of the switchgear is to be centered in the opening inthe front panel of the enclosure.

The present invention has as an object the provision of an arrangementsatisfying these conflicting conditions, permitting comparatively widevariations in the positioning of a switch, circuit breaker or the likewithin an enclosure, while enabling a projecting portion of thecontained switchgear to neatly fit an opening in a non-adjustable panelof the enclosure.

A further aspect of the invention enables a signal carried by theswitchgear to be neatly displayed through a window, while at the sametime accommodating a comparatively broad latitude of error in therelative positioning of the switchgear and the apertured panel throughwhich the signal is displayed.

The signal and the operating handle are carried by the switchgear, inthe embodiment of the invention detailed below, with a two-partface-plate assembly that fills the opening in the front panel of theenclosure. The arrangement simulates a unitary construction of the paneland the switchgear, with the result that there is a really neatappearance, but there are no gaps through which tampering devices mightbe inserted. The two part faceplate assembly includes a first face-platethat is rigidly assembled to the switchgear. This face-plate forms ahearing for the operating handle and embodies a window for accuratelyframing a signal also carried by the switchgear. This assembly alsocarries a second, larger face-plate slideably retained behind a flangeportion of the first faceplate. The second face-plate has a raised areawhose size and shape are neatly receivable in an opening in the frontpanel or door of the enclosure, and its adjustable mounting makes italignable with that opening even where there is error in the positioningof the switchgear in relation to the door or panel that is to close overthe switchgear. The second face-plate has an area that is raised toextend forward of the enclosure panel, through the opening in thatpanel.

For orderly assembly of this apparatus, to complete its neat finishedappearance, the adjustable face-plate is fixed to the switchgear frameby screws that are concealed by the enclosure panel. Since the screwsare concealed, they are also inaccessible for tightening unless thepanel is removed. But when the panel is removed there is no saying wherethe opening in the panel will be when the panel is later put into place,This dilemma is solved by providing a detent thatis accessible with thepanel closed. This detent is small and inconspicuous and is 2,776,355Patented Jan. 1, 1957 relied on for temporarily holding the adjustableface-plate in position with the raised area thereof neatly fitted in theopening in the panel. Thereafter the panel can be removed, and theconcealed screws or the like can be used for finally securing thetemporarily adjusted face plate.

The face-plate assembly can always be readjusted when necessary; butonce adjusted, it stays in place without dependence on the panel orenclosure door remaining closed. The panel can be removed from time totime for inspection and servicing of the enclosed switchgear, withoutloss of adjustment of the face-plate assembly.

The nature of the invention will be more fully appreciated, and furtherfeatures of novelty and advantages will be apparent, from the followingdetailed disclosure including the annexed drawings forming a part ofthis disclosure. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an external small-scale perspective view of an embodiment ofthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front view of the embodiment of the Fig. 1 withthe operating handle removed;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of the apparatus of Fig. 2 along theline 3-3, drawn to larger scale;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-section of the embodiment i in Fig. 2along the line 44; and

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective of certain portions of the illustratedembodiment of the invention in the other views.

Referring now to Fig. 1 there is shown an enclosed circuit breaker ofthe general type in the Wills application Serial No. 329,165, filedJanuary 2, 1953, including a casing 10 and a door 12 which is pivoted atthe left hand edge (although the door or a like panel may be secured inplace in any other convenient manner). Extending through a rectangularopening in door 12 is a face-plate 14, and another face-plate 16 isdisposed with a flange portion against the front of face-plate 14. Apivoted operating handle 18 for the circuit breaker contained inenclosure 10, 12 also appears in Fig. l. A number of such enclosedswitchgear units are ordinarily stacked and many of them may be arrangedside by side in a dead-front control center.

Handle 18 is secured to a shaft 20 as seen in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, whichshaft operates circuit breaker mechanism omitted from the drawingsbecause the details thereof are unnecessary to an understanding of thepresent invention.

A mechanical connection, not shown, from the handle and shaft, operatesa pivoted flag 22 so as to lower a sign Off behind a window 24 in plate16 when the circuit breaker is off, and to raise that flag so as todisplay a stationary flag 26 when the circuit breaker is On. This signaldevice is displayed through the door or panel 12.

Flanged plate 16, against which handle 18 bears and in which shaft 20has a bearing 16a, is secured by a pair of screws 28 to a frame plate 30forming part of the circuit breaker. Plate 16 thus constitutes a portionof the circuit breaker that projects forward of panel 12. Frame plate30, shaft 20, signals 22 and 26, and handle 18, all form part of acircuit breaker which is installed within the enclosure, usually onrails so as to be readily removable for inspection, or servicereplacement. Its

being inserted between door 12 and the circuit breaker mechanism withinthe enclosure. For these purposes a face-plate 14 is provided. Thisface-plate 15 secured to frame member 30 by a pair of screws 32, and isformed with a flat area 34 raised by a short wall portion 36 to extendthrough the hole or opening 38 in door 12. This door may be located asclosely against the circuit breaker plate 30 as shown, or it may bespaced some short distance away from that circuit breaker; but in anyevent the wall surface 36 can be large enough to project area 34 throughopening 38 to accommodate reasonable front-:to-rear variations in theposition of the enclosed switchgear.

It has been noted that the circuit breaker is suscept ble to horizontaland vertical variation in its positioning, relative to the opening inthe panel or door 12. For th s reason provision is made for adjustingface-plate 14 In both directions so that raised area 34 is snuglyreceived in opening 38 of door 12. Face-plate 14 has a hole 40 that ismore than large enough to receive support and bushing portion 16a of theface-plate 16, and it is also formed with an adequately large opening sothat window 24 will not be obstructed, regardless of the adjustment offace plate 14. Holes 42 in plate 14, which admit screws 32, are alsomade adequately large to allow for this adjustment; but the heads of thescrews, supplemented by washers, hold plate 14 securely in any positionof adjustment. Face plate 14 can then be adjusted horizontally andvertically to a limited extent, as may be required to locate area 34properly for alignment wlth opening 38 in the door 12. After face plate14 has been properly adjusted, screws 32 are tightened and the faceplate is fixed in position. The flange portion of face plate 16 thatoverlies face plate 14 is large enough to cover hole 40 in all positionsof adjustment of plate 14.

The adjustment of face plate 14 could be a tedious trial-and-errorprocedure. This is because screws 32 are concealed from view by door 12and they are correspondingly concealed from access for tightening themwhen the door is closed.

A set screw 44 is provided in plate 16 for fixing face plate 14 intemporary adjustment with door 12 closed. A lug 46 is formed in faceplate 14 adjacent set screw 44, to stiffen plate 14 against the thrustof screw 44. Set screw 44 is located inconspicuously at a point behindthe downwardly extending portion of handle 18 and, small as set screw44' is in practice, it is furthermore concealed from view by thisdepending handle.

The construction is adjusted as follows. A circuit breaker with handle18, fixed face plate 16, loosely supported face plate 14 and fixedmember 30 are placed within enclosure 10, in operating position. Door 12is then closed, carefully shifting face plate 14 manually so that it isproperly centered in hole 38 of the door, while screws 32 are all loose.Enlarged holes 42 afford the necessary latitude of adjustment required.Screw 44 is then tightened, so that face-plate 14 will stay in adjustedposition temporarily, even though it is released from hand-heldadjustment. The door is next opened and screws 32 are tightened; and thedoor is closed, with face-plate 1'4 securely held in the desiredposition, centered in opening 38 of the door.

It is seen that transverse wall portion 36 which surrounds the raisedportion 34 of face-plate 14 accommodates a latitude of fore-and aftvariation in the positioning of the circuit breaker enclosed within theenclosure 10, 12. The externally accessible detent represented by setscrew 44 enables temporary locking of the face-plate in the desiredposition, centered within the door opening, without exposing screws 32to access and to view from the exterior when the door i closed. The doormay thereafter be opened as often as necessary for inspection andservice of the enclosed switchgear, without loss of adjustment of theface-plate. Even though there may be no possibility of adjusting thedoors or front panels, each enclosed circuit breaker carries with it areadily adjustable face-plate assembly that completes the front closure.

Having thus described a particular embodiment of our invention, andexplained the principles thereof, what we claim is:

1. Enclosed switchgear, including an enclosure having a panel with anopening therein, switchgear contained in said enclosure and having aportion projecting forward of said panel through said opening, saidswitchgear embodying a device operative through said panel, and afaceplate assembly substantially occupying the opening in said panel,said assembly including a first face-plate fixed to said switchgear andhaving a flange portion forward of said panel, and a second face-plateslideably mounted behind said flange portion, said first face-platehaving an opening aligned with said device and said second face-platehaving a larger opening for said device and aligned with said panelopening, and means securing said second face-plate in said alignedposition on said switchgear.

2. Enclosed switchgear, including an enclosure including a panel with anopening therein, switchgear contained in said enclosure and having aportion operative at said opening, a face-plate assembly carried by theenclosed switchgear and disposed to project through said opening and tosubstantially fill said opening despite variations in the relativepositioning of said panel and said switchgear, said assembly including afirst face-plate substantially smaller than said opening and having aflange portion forward of said panel and having a support fixed to saidswitchgear, said assembly also including a second face-plate having araised area substantially filling the opening in said panel and beingadjustably slideable against the back surface of said flange portion ofsaid first face-plate, said second face-plate having an openingpenetrated by the support of said first face-plate.

3. Enclosed switchgear, including an enclosure having a front panelformed with an opening, switchgear contained in said enclosure andhaving an operating handle extending forward of said panel through saidopening, a composite face-plate assembly substantially filling the spacebetween said operating handle and said panel opening, said assemblyincluding a first face-plate embodying a flange portion forward of saidpanel and a support extending through said opening and secured to saidswitchgear, and a second face-plate adjustably secured to saidswitchgear and slideable against the rear of said flange portion duringits adjustment, said second face-plate having an opening adequatelylarge to permit such adjustment with the support of the first face-plateextending therethrough.

4. Enclosed switchgear, including an enclosure having a front panelformed with an opening, switchgear contained in said enclosure andhaving an operating handle extending forward of said panel through saidopening, a composite face-plate assembly substantially filling the spacebetween said operating handle and said panel opening, said assemblyincluding a first face-plate embodying a flange portion forward of saidpanel and a support extending through said opening and secured to saidswitchgear, and a second face-plate adjustably secured to saidswitchgear and slideable against the rear of said flange portion duringits adjustment, said second faceplate having an opening adequately largeto permit such adjustment with the support of the first face-plateextending therethrough, said second face-plate having-aforwardprojecting area projecting through said panel opening, said areabeing of substantially the same shape but slightly smaller than saidpanel opening.

5. Enclosed switchgear, including an enclosure having a panel formedwith an opening, switchgear contained in said enclosure and having asignal effective through said opening, said switchgear including aface-plate assembly embodying: a window accurately framing said signal,and a closure at said panel opening, said assembly including a firstface-plate having, a flangeportion embodying said window and having asupportfixing said face-plate to said switchgear with the window inproper relation to said signal, and a second face-plate having means foradjustably securing it to said switchgear, said second face-plate havinga raised portion substantially occupying said opening and projectingtherethrough and said raised portion being slideable during adjustmentthereof against the rear surface of said flange portion, said secondface-plate being apertured to accommodate said support and to displaysaid signal despite a latitude of adjustment of that second face-plate.

6. Enclosed switchgear, including an enclosure having a panel formedwith an opening, switchgear'contained in said enclosure including anoperating handle and a signal operative through said panel opening andsaid handle projecting forward of said panel, a composite face-plateassembly embodying a first face-plate forming a Window for said signaland a bearing for said operating handle, said first face-plate having asupport fixing it to said switch-gear and having a flange disposedforward of said panel, and-a second face-plate having a raise-d portionsubstantially filling said panel opening and in slideable contact withthe rear of the flange of said first face-plate.

7. Enclosed switchgear, including an enclosure having a front panelformed with an opening, switchgear contained in said enclosure andhaving an operating handle extending through said opening and having amanually engageable portion outside said enclosure, a face-plateassembly carried by said switchgear and substantially filling said panelopening, said face-plate assembly including a first face-plate having aflange portion disposed in front of said panel and having a bearingportion for said operating handle extending through said opening andsecured to said switchgear, and a second face-plate having a raised areain slideable engagement with the back of said flange portion, saidraised portion substantially filling said panel opening, said secondface-plate having securing means adjustably fastening it to saidswitchgear, said securing means being accessible only with said panelremoved.

8. Enclosed switchgear, including an enclosure having a front panelformed with an opening, switchgear contained in said enclosure andhaving an operating handle extending through said opening and having amanually engageable portion outside said enclosure, a face-plateassembly carried by said switchgear and filling said panel opening, saidface-plate assembly including a first face-plate having a flange portiondisposed in front of said panel and having a bearing portion for saidoperating handle extending through said opening and secured to saidswitchgear, and a second face-plate having a raised area in slideableengagement with the back of said flange portion, said raised portionsubstantially filling said panel opening, said second face-plate havingsecuring means adjustably fastening it to said switchgear, said securingmeans being accessible with said panel removed, and inconspicuous detentmeans between said face plates accessible with said panel inswitchgear-enclosing positron.

9. Switchgear including an operating handle having a combined bearingmember and face-plate including a flange portion, a second face-plate ofgreater lateral extent than said first face-plate slideable against theback of said flange portion and having adjustable means for securing itto the switchgear.

10. Switchgear including an operating handle having a combined bearingmember and face-plate including a flange portion, a second face-plate ofgreater lateral extent than said first face-plate slideable against theback of said flange portion and having adjustable means for secur ng itto the switchgear, said face-plates additionally having inconspicuousmeans accessible from the front of said arr a s 11. Enclosed switchgearincluding anenclosure having a panel formed with an opening,switchgear-in said enclosure and having a device operative through saidopening, and a face-plate assembly including a first face-plate securedto said switchgear and in critical position relative to said device anda second face-plate having a portion projecting through said openingagainst the rear of said first face-plate and adjustably secured to saidswitchgear.

12. Switchgear including an operating handle, a bearing member for saidoperating handle having a flange portion, a frame member, said bearingmember being secured to said'frame member, and a face-plate slideablyadjustable between said frame member and said flange portion and havingsecuring means for fixing it in adjusted position relative to saidbearing member.

13. Switchgear including an operating handle, a bearing member for saidoperating handle having a-flange portion, a frame member, said bearingmember being secured to said frame member and a face-plate slideablebetween said frame member and said flange portion and having securingmeans for fixing it in adjusted position relative to said bearingmember, said securing means including an inconspicuous detent betweensaid bearing member and said adjustable face-plate, and prominentsecuring means between said adjustable face-plate and said frame member.

14. Enclosed switchgear including an enclosure having a front panelformed with an opening, switchgear contained in said enclosure, a firstface-plate carried by said switchgear and having a flange portiondisposed forward of said panel, said face-plate having a supportextending through said opening, a frame member disposed behind saidpanel, and a second face-plate slideably confined between said flangeportion and said frame member and having a raised area extending throughand substantially filling said panel opening.

15. Enclosed switchgear including an enclosure having a front panelformed with an opening, switchgear contained in said enclosure, a firstface-plate carried by said switchgear and having a flange portiondisposed forward of said panel, said first face-plate having a supportextending through said opening, a frame member disposed behind saidpanel, and a second face-plate slideably confined between said flangeportion and said frame member and having a raised area extending throughand filling said panel opening, securing means for said adjustableface-plate behind said panel, and an inconspicuous detent engageablefrom in front of said panel for holding said face-plate in temporaryadjustment prior to fixing said face-plate in position by means of saidfirst mentioned securing means.

16. Enclosed switchgear, including an enclosure hav ing a front panelformed with an opening, a switchgear in said enclosure and having anexternally accessible member, a plate having a raised area projectingthrough said panel opening and said raised area being formed with anaperture through which said member extends and said plate having aperipheral flange portion behind said panel about the opening therein,said plate having a laterally adjustable supporting means on theswitchgear for centering the raised area of the plate in the panelopening despite a range of possible relative positions between theenclosure and the switchgear, and said externally accessible memberhaving a rear face extending across part of said plate about theaperture therein, said aperture being substantially larger than the partof said member extending therethrough, and said rear face of said memberbeing sufliciently larger than said aperture to conceal the aperture inall adjusted positions of said plate.

17. Switchgear to be contained in an enclosure having a front panelformed with an opening through which the switchgear may extend foraccess, said switchgear having an externally accessible member, aface-plate having a raised area adapted to project through the openingin the front panel of an enclosure and formed with an 7 aperture throughwhich said member extends and said face-plate having a rearwardperipheral portion adapted to lie behind the enclosure panel and toextend about the panel opening, said face-plate having laterallyadjustable supporting means on the switchgear for centering the raisedarea of the face-plate in a panel opening despite a range of possiblerelative positions of the switchgear in an enclosure, and saidexternally accessible member having a rear face extending over part ofthe face-plate about the aperture therein, said aperture beingsubstantially larger than the portion of said member extendingtherethrough, and said rear face of said member being sufficientlylarger than said aperture to conceal the aperture in all adjustedpositions of said face-plate.

18. Enclosed switchgear including an enclosure having a front panelformed with an opening, switchgear contained in said enclosure, a firstmember carried by said. switchgear and having a rear face disposedforward of said panel, said member having a support extending throughsaid Opening, a frame member having a peripheral portion disposed behindsaid panel and having a raised area within said peripheral portionextending through and'substantially filling said panel opening, saidraised area being in substantially face-to-face contact with said rearface of said first member, said frame member having an aperturepenetrated by the support of said first member with clearance allowinglateral adjustment of said frame member relative to said first memberand said rear face of said first member covering the portion of saidraised area adjacent to said aperture in said frame member to concealsaid aperture in all adjusted positions of said frame member.

No references cited.

